1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to a fixing device for use in an electrophotographic copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, or the like. More particularly, the present application relates to a fixing device capable of preventing undesirable effects on devices located around the fixing device.
2. Discussion of the Background
Image forming apparatuses, such as copying machines, facsimile machines, and printers, are provided with a fixing device to fix a toner image to a recording sheet. Generally, such a fixing device includes a heat roller having a fixing heater inside thereof and a pressure roller rotatably contacting the heat roller with pressure. The fixing device is configured to fix a toner image onto a recording sheet by application of heat generated by the fixing heater to the recording sheet while nipping and conveying the recording sheet with the heat roller and the pressure roller. Therefore, a temperature of devices located in the vicinity of the fixing device rises due to heat irradiated from the fixing device. As a result, for example, condensation of moisture occurs on cold parts of a main body of the copying machine. In addition, recording sheets tend to curl when heated by the radiated heat. In addition, when a drive motor is mounted adjacent the fixing device, undesirable effects on the drive motor may occur.
In recent years, because of the trend toward space-saving and compact-sizing of image forming apparatuses, the size of each device forming the image forming apparatus has become smaller and a distance between respective devices has tended to become shorter. Therefore, devices near the fixing device more easily receive the heat irradiated from the fixing device.
Generally, a fixing device is disposed adjacent to a toner reclaim tank which has a cleaning blade that contacts a photoconductor drum. Accordingly, when the temperature of the fixing device rises, the heat irradiated from the fixing device is transmitted to the toner reclaim tank and also to the cleaning blade. As a result, residual toner, which is contained in the toner reclaim tank, coagulates and residual toner which has adhered to an edge of the cleaning blade also coagulates. When the residual toner in the tank coagulates, it is hard for the toner reclaim tank to be fully filled with the residual toner. In addition, the coagulation of adhered toner at the cleaning blade results in deterioration in the cleaning properties of the blade, resulting in deterioration of image quality.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Tokukaihei 5-134571 describes a fixing device in which a partition member is disposed between a fixing device cover and cleaning/toner magazines to insulate the cleaning/toner magazines from heat irradiated from the fixing device cover.
However, in such a background fixing device, the temperature of the partition member rises relatively high because the partition member is located adjacent to the fixing device cover. Therefore, if an operator inadvertently touches the partition member by hand when removing a recording sheet jammed around the fixing device or when exchanging a photoconductor unit which is located close to the fixing device, for example, the operator may possibly be injured by the heated partition member.
In addition, because air which is heated by the heat generated by the fixing device remains in a small space in the fixing device cover, the temperature of the devices located around the fixing device is kept high for a long period of time even after power to the apparatus is turned off. Accordingly, the operator must wait a long period of time for the devices around the fixing device to cool off prior to removing the jammed recording sheet or exchanging the photoconductor unit.